


Joint Custody

by ptw30



Series: Ninja!AU [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe, Found Family, Gen, Just Add Ninjas, KagaKuro as Bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-03 00:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10231751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ptw30/pseuds/ptw30
Summary: Ninja!Taiga has taken care of Tetsuya since the boy was born, but his past sins - and the newly crowned emperor, Akashi Seijuro - are finally catching up with him.(Who doesn’t like a ninja AU?)





	1. The Princeling of Neo-Tokyo

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this last summer and just never got around to posting it. It's the sequel to "Thus is Life," though it's not necessary to read that story to understand this one. Thanks!

 

“Have you hit the fifth marker, Tetsu-kun?”

“Working on the seventh, Momoi-san.”

“Satsuki? I’m not so sure this is a good idea to include Tetsuya in your—”

“I don’t mind, Tai-san.”

“Hey, don’t burn that, Bakagami! I’m hungry!”

“Shaddup, Aho!”

A loud bark sounded from Taiga’s side.

“Oh, not you, too! Down!”

 “We’re almost done, Tai-chan.”

Taiga flipped the curry in the large pan, stirring it a few times before turning off the burner. Daiki immediately leaned over the breakfast bar, fork ready to stab one of the vegetables, only for Taiga to slap his hand away. “Hey! Wait until they’re done, all right?”

“I haven’t eaten since this afternoon.”

“Who’s fault is that?”

“And done!” Satsuki announced, sitting at the breakfast bar between Daiki and Tetsuya. She shut her data-port and leaned over to pull the startled Tetsuya into a warm embrace. “Thank you so much for your help, Tetsu-kun! I couldn’t have done it without you.”

A gentle smile twitched on the edge of Tetsuya’s lips, and his head bobbed in a quick bow. “It is my pleasure, Momoi-san. Tai-san never lets me help with his work.”

Taiga choked in mid-gulp of his beer, his violent hacking providing an adequate distraction for Daiki to steal a quick bite. “Well,” he croaked once he managed to breathe again, “that’s just because my work is more…hands-on than Satsuki’s here.”

She granted him a condescending pat on the cheek. “Oh, Tai-chan. If it weren’t for  _my_  work, you wouldn’t be able to do  _your_  work.”

“I didn’t say that—”

Daiki snorted and leaned on his hand. “You heard Satsuki. They’re done! Dish already!”

At Taiga’s side, Nigou whined in agreement.

“What are you even doing here? Both of you,” Taiga complained, but it was said without heat. Daiki had become an indispensable part of his life since the Kiseki no Sedai Clan paired them more than seventeen years ago, and as good of a partner as Daiki was to him, he was even a better brother to Tetsu. And that mattered more to Taiga than anything.

And Nigou – well, Taiga just couldn’t say no to Tetsuya’s puppy eyes.

Taiga shoveled out the food and then shooed them all to the dinner table, but Daiki hit Tetsuya on the shoulder. “Hey, help your bro out with the food, will ya? I’ll grab the drinks.”

Satsuki set the table as Daiki brought over three beers and a Pocari Sweat. Taiga ruffled his little brother’s hair as he grabbed two plates, and Tetsuya’s soft, appreciative smile was a reward all its own. They sat down and ate, chatting and teasing and fighting like a real family – including Tetsuya feeding Nigou scraps under the table.

Taiga almost choked for the second time that day when Tetsuya addressed Daiki as “Aomine-san.”

“So we know the answer to ‘nature vs. nuture,’ huh?” Daiki laughed, ruffling Tetsuya’s hair as well. “Tetsu, you are waaaaay too polite to be Taiga’s kid.”

“Oh, Dai-chan! Don’t tease Tai-chan like that. Can’t you see the resemblance?”

Third time.

“Nah. This—” He seized Tetsuya’s chin. “—is too adorable to come from that lug.”

Taiga was just about ready to die right then and there, but then he heard the barely audible but highly amused laughter that made Tetsuya’s whole face glow. Taiga just melted, all his anxiety dissipating, and he dug back into his curry.

By the end of the night, Daiki would pass out on the couch after playing video games with Tetsuya. Taiga would lift his feet onto the cushions while Satsuki draped a blanket over him, and then they’d each give Tetsuya a kiss before retiring to their respective rooms.

But then Shintarou interrupted their meal at his normal time, shuffling in with a grunted welcome and dishing out what Taiga purposefully left in the pan. His message, however, was anything but usual.

He leaned against the breakfast bar, muttering, “So what have you idiots done this time to pique Aida-san?”

Taiga immediately sat up, eyes flicking to Daiki, who wore a similar look of alarm. “What are you talking about, Shin?”

They hadn’t been out on a mission in almost a month, taking time off to plan the wedding and just relax after one of their more difficult missions. The clan heads had been adamant since Daiki and he had been able to procure the new emperor’s plans in the ongoing peace agreement between Neo-Tokyo and the Uncrowned Kings of the South. So what the hell did their boss have to be pissed about?

Shintarou stopped in mid-bite, glancing between them as he registered their concern. “You—You honestly don’t know what you’ve done? I know you both are idiots, but I didn’t think it was possible for you to foul up and not know.”

“Don’t be an asshole, Shin.” Daiki threw a balled-up napkin at Shintarou.

“Are you one to make such demands, Daiki-san?”

Taiga would have put out his hand to high-five Tetsuya—he was such an adorable shit—if he wasn’t watching Satsuki, who had slipped back to the breakfast bar and typed away frantically on her data-port. “Mimorin, are you sure you heard that right? Maybe Aida-san—”

A low, vicious growl came from Nigou.

“—wants a beer.” An older man with a five o’clock shadow and a grim expression entered the kitchen, swiping Daiki’s beer bottle and taking a long swig. Aida glanced down at Tetsuya, those dark eyes too serious for Taiga’s liking. But then his eyes softened, especially when Tetsuya grabbed hold of Nigou’s collar to keep the dog from lunging.  “Hey, kiddo. How’s school going? You’re a…first year now?”

Tetsuya nodded, on edge but not unnerved. “Yes, Aida-san. I’ll be a second year this April.”

“Damn. Kids just grow up so fast these days.” He leaned down and ruffled the teen’s hair—apparently, Tetsuya’s fluffy hair was addictive—and then Taiga was standing, every muscle and nerve on edge until Aida’s fingers detached from Tetsuya’s mop. “Sit down, Kagami,” Aida admonished. “I wasn’t sent by the Kiseki no Sedai. I’m here on my own.”

Tetsuya’s eyes perked up, but he said nothing.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better, sir?” Taiga snapped.

“It damn well should.” Aida glanced over his shoulder at Satsuki. “You get the passwords yet?”

She nodded. “Tetsuya confirmed the passwords. I retrieved the desired strategies.”

“Well, look at you,” Aida praised, his smile still crooked but not as tense. “Already joining the family business. I don’t know whether to celebrate or fire Taiga and give you his job.”

Taiga crossed his arms, unamused, and Daiki replied, similarly, leaning back in his chair. “Is there a reason you came tonight, Aida? Or were you just bored and wanted to annoy us?”

Eyes solemn, Aida turned to Tetsuya. “What’d you think of the coronation, kid?”

Tetsuya stared up at Aida, his face as expressionless as ever, though Taiga saw the intense concentration upon it. Tetsuya was a smart kid, perceptive. No doubt he knew he was being tested, and he replied like the perfect little soldier. “Emperor Akashi has been an inspiration to our people. He ended the war with the Uncrowned Kings of the South, gave our people free medical care and food. He created jobs and lowered the poverty rate. And there’s even talk of him welcoming some of our territories as recognized cities of Neo-Tokyo or even releasing them to their own sovereign governments.”

“I didn’t ask you for a history paper, kid,” Aida released a gruff laugh. “I asked you what you’d thought about the coronation.”

Tetsuya pondered for a moment, weighing his words, and Taiga stopped breathing until Tetsuya replied, “Overdue. The emperor had been ruling since his parents were killed all those years ago, so there was no need for the formal event. But it was fun. Tai-san brought me down to the celebration after the formal ceremony, and we watched the parade and tried the treats.”

“So did most of Neo-Tokyo,” Shintarou interrupted, placing his half-eaten plate onto the counter. “It is a common occurrence to celebrate a new ruler, Aida-sama.”

“There were two cakes, Midorima,” Aida explained, a sharp edge to his voice that even had Satsuki flinching. “One was red velvet, the emperor’s favorite flavor.”

“And the other was vanilla,” Tetsuya added. “It was delicious, right, Tai-san?”

Four times Taiga almost choked today, but this time it was on his own spit. Once he recovered, he ruffled Tetsuya’s hair and hit his shoulder. “Why don’t you go finish your meal in your room, Tetsuya? Then start your homework, and I’ll come in to check it.”

“You mean, you want to ‘let the grown-ups talk –’” Tetsuya used the air quotes. “– and then you’ll come in and pretend to know if my answers are correct.”

“ _Now_ , kiddo, or I’ll ask Satsuki to check ‘em for me.”

“No need to be so harsh, Tai-san,” Tetsuya snorted and headed off with his plate in hand, Nigou trailing on his heels.

“And don’t feed the rest of that to your dog!”

The five adults waited until they heard the door to Tetsuya’s room shut before Taiga whirled toward Satsuki. “I don’t like that you let him help you hack into our enemies’ servers.”

“He is a born cerebral, Tai-chan,” Satsuki defended, already back typing on her data-port. “And isn’t it better for him to get into this side of the business rather than your side?”

“I don’t want him in this line of work at all!”

Daiki rolled his eyes. “Taiga, what do you think he’s going to get into? Teaching? A desk job? The kid’s a born shadow.”

“That’s not your decision to—”

“You’ve also taught him how to live in our world.”

“That was for protection, not—”

Shintarou pushed his glasses. “I always thought he would go into the medical field, perhaps intern under me at the clinic.”

Taiga’s shoulders heaved with a long sigh. “You do all realize he’s my kid, right?” And he pointed to each of the people in his apartment. “Not yours, not yours, not yours,  _certainly_  not yours,” he added for Shintarou. “ _Mine_ , so all of you just back—”

“Enough with the domestic,” Aida interjected, grabbing a second beer from the refrigerator. He popped the top on the counter’s edge. “We have more important matters to discuss.”

“It’s a freakin’ cake,” Daiki replied. “Whoopee-friggin’-doo. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means everything,” Aida rebuffed. “It means not only does the emperor know about his twin, but he knows Tetsuya intimately, including his favorite flavor. He even made sure to acknowledge his brother on the most important day of his life.”

Taiga crossed his arms. “We can’t be sure about that. Maybe it was just a coincidence.”

“I already checked Tetsu-kun’s data-port and terminal history,” Satsuki reported. “There’s nothing to indicate any contact with the emperor.”

“Our inside man says the emperor’s uncle Mayuzumi Chihiro has come out of hiding, no longer fearing his own assassination now that Seijuro has been officially crowned ruler.” Aida’s voice was grim, unsettling. “Though it wasn’t common knowledge that the queen was pregnant with twins, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t discussed by the queen herself with those closest to her.”

“This is speculation,” Daiki dismissed, rising to prowl. “And even if he knows of his brother, so what? You think he plans to meet Tetsu? Just revealing Tetsu could bring question to the emperor’s reign, especially since they’re twins. He wouldn’t want that.”

“The emperor was just coroneted, Aomine. That solidifies his reign.”

“So why are you here, Aida?” Taiga finally demanded.

Aida paused before taking a long swig of his beer. Once he finished, he tapped the edge of the bottle, obviously uncomfortable with what was to come next. “The clan heads don’t know of this development, and we need to keep it that way. They’re happy with the emperor’s position and our influence over him. If they were to find out Tetsuya’s existence would jeopardize this—you don’t need to imagine what their order would be.”

Taiga’s tight fists shook at his thighs. “You know I won’t let that happen.”

“ _We_  won’t let that happen,” Satsuki corrected, and with curt nods, Daiki and Shintarou agreed.

Aida wrung the back of his neck before throwing the bottle into the recycling bin. “Don’t be stupid. You’re the best I’ve ever trained. I’m not letting any of you betray the Kiseki no Sedai.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Daiki challenged, his hand already reaching behind his back for his gun.

Aida stopped him with a grave stare. “I trained you to be shadows, so become that. Disappear. Now. Before the emperor or the clan heads can make a move.”

The four clan members traded quick glances; with a snap of time, they moved simultaneously. Taiga headed toward the hallway. Satsuki began typing frantically, and Daiki and Shinatrou grabbed towels to wipe down the apartment. Aida said nothing, just grabbed himself another beer, and walked unhurriedly toward the front door.

*^*^*

“Los Angeles?” Tetsuya’s face scrunched in disappointment as he gripped Nigou’s leash and resituated his backpack. “But I thought you didn’t want to go back there.”

“Aida-san gave us a new project, that’s ‘ll.” Taiga wiped the sweat from his brow and grabbed the pole as the skyway zoomed about a particularly tight curve. “And it wasn’t like I was banished from there. We just left because I wanted to avoid Alex’s wrath.”

“What your brother is saying,” Daiki interjected, standing behind Tetsuya as if to hide him between his and Taiga’s larger bodies, “is that Satsuki was actually horrified to learn Alex had a bigger cup size, and demanded a transfer back to—ow! Woman, is it my fault you like having the biggest boobs on the continent?”

Satsuki returned to attention to her handheld, typing away with both hands. “Tai-chan is bigger, Dai-chan.”

Taiga’s face immediately burned as Daiki sputtered, cheeks dark red and expression appalled. “I didn’t need to know that!” he shouted in a high-pitch squeal.

“You are all children,” Shintarou chastised, which had Nigou whining and Tetsuya laughing silently again.

Taiga guessed it was worth it, palming the kid’s hoodie and drawing him close. “It’s going to be all right,” he muttered, watching as Daiki and Satsuki continued their exchange, Satsuki not even looking at Daiki as she typed. Daiki grew redder and redder until Shintarou elbowed him in the gut. That seemed the deflate the situation, and Daiki grumbled to himself as he grabbed the train’s pole again.

Yes, Taiga believed. As long as they were together, they’d be all right.

Of course, that was when the lights went out, and the train screeched to a halt. Taiga instantly sought Tetsuya, hand curling in the back of his hoodie as he heard Nigou’s frightened whimpers.

“Everyone okay?” he called, and as he received a chorus of affirmatives, the emergency lights kicked in. They were duller than the usual neon radiance of the skyway, but they illuminated enough of the cabin for Taiga to see the massive beast now standing between him and Shintarou. He was monolithic, towering over Shintarou, with loose hair and a bored but still menacing expression.

“Release the prince, and I won’t crush you.”

Shintarou, by far the least combative of the group, shifted first, slamming his fist against the larger man’s groin and knocking him away from Tetsuya.

“Move!” he ordered, and Taiga didn’t need to be told twice. He turned, parting the train’s night crowd and dragging Tetsuya along with him. Nigou quickly wove between passengers’ legs, whimpering in distress but keeping up.

“Tai-san! What’s are you—”

Taiga slammed open the door between train cars and threw one of his pellets, filling the cabin with choking smoke. “Remember all those nights I made you parkour across the Tokyo skyline?”  

“Yes.”

“There might have a reason for that!”

Behind them, clashes of a battle resounded. Taiga refused to look back, though it pained him to leave his family behind. But Tetsuya was his priority, and despite wanting to help his family, Satsuki, Daiki, and Shintarou could protect themselves.

He wasn’t exactly sure whom they were fighting until he opened the door to the final cabin. The car was empty save a lone warrior. The man’s height was average, only a handful of inches shorter than Taiga, and he sported a man-bun at the base of his head. A simple long-sleeved black T-shirt with cargo pants lent him the appearance of a skilled fighter, especially with his cut-off gloves.

He wasn’t worried about hiding his identity, which meant this man fought for the highest level of the government. He worked for the emperor himself.

“Hello, Kagami Taiga. I’m Mibuchi Reo. We finally meet. I’ve heard much about you.”

Taiga immediately took a protective step in front of Tetsuya, who fisted his hand in the back of Taiga’s sweatshirt. “I’m not giving you Tetsuya.”

“Your stubbornness was one of your respectable attributes, but this is not a fight you can win. Hand over the prince before His Excellency decides to destroy the Kiseki no Sedai.”

Taiga laughed, despite himself. “The Kiseki no Sedai have been around for hundreds of years, helping to groom Neo-Tokyo into the empire it is today. No one, not even its emperor, can bring down the clan.”

Twin daggers slipped into Reo’s hands, and he shifted onto his back foot. “You do not want to test the emperor and his chosen fighters, the Rakuzan Warriors. You will lose, Kagami Taiga.”

Reo didn’t say what he’d lose, and Taiga wasn’t ready to let go of Tetsuya. Not yet.

He glanced over his shoulder at the tense and worried Tetsuya, and muttered, “You know what to do.”

“Tai-san, I won’t. I refuse.”

" _You_   _will_.”

Taiga forged ahead then, his own daggers slipping into his hands, and he engaged Reo, ducking the first swipe and kicking up his knee. Reo recovered quickly, slamming his dagger down, but Taiga spun so Reo’s weapon slashed open his bookbag but left him clean. He pivoted on his back foot, slamming Reo into one of the train seats, creating an open alley for Tetsuya and Nigou to run.

Taiga grunted when Reo then flung him back, but he retaliated with a swipe, drawing crimson from Reo’s forearm. Another slash colored Reo’s middle, but then Reo kicked upward, freeing one of Taiga’s daggers. The sudden action caught Taiga off guard and left him open for attack, and he let out a harrowing yell when Reo’s dagger buried itself in his shoulder. Reo lifted a second dagger, slicing toward Taiga’s gut when an explosion of glass and metal rocked the cabin. The force sent Taiga and Reo slamming to the floor, but before either could move, Tetsuya knocked his fist against Reo’s chin, rendering him inert.

“Tai-san! Tai-san!” Concern tainted Tetsuya’s usually soft voice, and Taiga huffed through the crippling pain that shot down his arm.

Tetsuya’s arm circled Taiga’s neck, while his hand grabbed his older brother’s good shoulder, and Taiga immediately pushed him away. “Go,” he muttered weakly. “I’ll meet you at the safe house in Asakusa.”

“No.” Tetsuya’s voice left no room for debate. “You’re coming with me.”

“Tetsuya—”

“No, Tai-san. We both go.”

Hm. Taiga wished Daiki was there right now, so he could say, “In yer face.” No way this level of stubbornness came from anyone but Taiga.

In retrospect, perhaps Taiga should have wondered why Tetsuya didn’t ask him about the emperor’s guards. Tetsuya never even questioned why they called him a prince.

But Taiga focused on keeping conscious as Tetsuya secured the knife in his shoulder and helped him out the shattered front window of the train.

The elevated skyway ran through Neo-Tokyo, and though they were only two stops away from the airport, there was no way Taiga could board a plane with a dagger sticking out his shoulder—or even run that far. Each step sucked more energy from his already tired legs, but he pushed forward for Tetsuya. He needed to get his little brother safe before he passed out, which was why he chose not to go to the station, where police would probably be waiting for them along with more of the emperor’s warriors. Instead, he snatched the back of his kid’s sweatshirt and motioned toward a balcony of a nearby high-rise.

No words were needed. Tetsuya nodded and scooped up Nigou before jumping off the track and onto the balcony’s concrete floor. Usually, Taiga could make the jump, but today, Tetsuya shot a line and pulled it taut, creating the safe passage Taiga needed.

After picking the sliding door’s lock, Tetsuya led Taiga inside and lowered him onto the couch before heading deeper into the darkened apartment for first aid supplies. As Taiga huffed and moaned – why did stab wounds have to hurt so much? – a shadow fell over him.

“Wow, Tetsuya,” he managed to mutter. “That was quick.”

He couldn’t wait to get this thing out of him, take a double-dose of pain-killers, and then pass out for about twelve hours or so. Tetsuya would contact Daiki and Satsuki and Shintarou, and get everyone together before they tried to flee again.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Tetsuya’s voice that greeted him.

“Hello, Little Brother.”

Taiga’s entire body tensed; he only had enough strength to crack open his eyes.

“Tatsuya?”

Tatsuya nodded with a sad, apologetic smile. “Don’t worry. We’re not looking to harm him. Sei-chan wants to talk to him.”

 _Sei-chan?_  “Tatsuya, what the fuck are you—”

Tatsuya lunged then, injecting Taiga with something cool and refreshing.

Taiga wanted to fight back but oblivion felt so good right then. 

_To Be Continued..._


	2. The Blood of the Covenant

The intense throbbing woke Taiga. It wasn’t in his arm, where Reo had stabbed him, but rather in his head, thanks to whatever drug Tatsuya used. Of course, his shoulder joined in on his torment a few moments later, and he suddenly missed the oblivion that was unconsciousness. Why couldn’t he go back to that?

Something hard slammed into his side, jerking his already pained body, and a muffled grunt urged him further toward total consciousness. Mustering enough strength, Taiga lifted his heavy eyelids to see Daiki sitting next to him, arms restricted behind his back and tape covering his mouth. Good. Why couldn’t he always be like that?

Leaning against his good shoulder was an unconscious Satsuki, and next to her mumbled a furious Shintarou, restrained as well. Shintarou wasn’t looking at Taiga, though. 

Taiga followed his gaze and started. Standing directly before them, the large warrior who fought Shintarou on the train yawned and reached into a bag of potato chips, munching away with a fervor he didn’t quite have for battle. 

Mibuchi Reo also occupied the rather large room, appearing pissed with a bitter expression and several bandages upon his once pristine cheeks and arms. Next to him stood another three fighters Taiga didn’t recognize. One reminded him a little of Tetsuya with washed out hair and pale eyes, but his countenance was hostile. Taiga guessed him to be Mayuzumi Chihiro, the former queen’s younger brother and Tetsuya’s biological uncle. 

The other two completed the Razukan Warriors, the first more wide than tall with muscles to match while the second sported a mischievous smile. Boot steps drew Taiga’s attention, and he almost growled at Tatsuya, who approached in a dark jumpsuit along with a gun strapped to his side. He also wore that same apologetic smile from earlier. He knelt by Taiga’s side and with gentle pressure, helped Taiga to sit up. His shoulder pulled instantly, but Taiga kept from letting out any cries of pain—mostly because of the tape over his mouth. Tatsuya were smart to gag him because right now, he wanted to give his brother a piece of his freaking mind. 

What was Tatsuya doing? He was Kiseki no Sedai, planted in the ruler’s inner circle to help guide the boy emperor to be the benevolent monarch. And Tatsuya had done just that, but what was he doing now, helping Seijuro take Tetsuya? 

Tetsuya!

He ignored Tatsuya’s warning not to move suddenly or risk pulling his stitches out, and shot up, searching frantically for Tetsuya. He found his charge’s unconscious form upon the opulent bed in the middle of the bedchambers, Nigou tucked against his owner’s side and licking his fingers every so often. The emperor with his fiery red hair stood out against the pale blue and silver color scheme, sitting on the edge of the bed and absentmindedly playing with the wayward strands of Tetsuya’s light hair. 

Taiga growled through his tape and found himself on the receiving end of Tatsuya’s dark scowl, but Seijuro crossed boundaries. Only _he_ was allowed to play with Tetsuya’s hair like that—and Daiki and Satsuki, and maybe—maybe Shintarou, but only if he was babysitting. 

Tatsuya patted Taiga on the head, almost as if to say, “Down, boy,” and walked over to Seijuro, bowing in a rather formal manner. “Should I wake him, Your Excellency?”

Seijuro clasped his hands in his lap and nodded. “Yes, please, Tatsuya.”

Tatsuya wanted to ruffle Seijuro’s hair, Taiga noticed. Perhaps in private they were as familiar as he and Tetsuya, but in public, in front of the emperor’s closest warriors, Tatsuya simply knelt next to the emperor’s bed and injected something into Tetsuya’s arm. After a moment, he stepped back and waited, safely out of Nigou’s biting zone, while Taiga held his breath. He thought his world might end until Tetsuya suddenly sucked in a sharp gasp and sat up, eyes wide and breathing erratic. 

Of course, his bedhead was still adorable, and Taiga wanted nothing more than to ease his discomfort and brush the runaway locks away from Tetsuya’s eyes. 

Seijuro beat him to it, playing with the front strands. “Hm. It seems we have similar sleep behaviors.”

Tetsuya’s widened eyes surveyed his surroundings, hesitantly averting from Seijuro’s serene smile to take in the opulent room and its intense occupants. His alarmed gaze ran over the Razukan Warriors, stopping briefly on each one, before finding the Kiseki no Sedai Clan. He exhaled once he met Taiga’s eyes. 

_Yeah, kid. I’m here. I won’t leave you._

“Would you like some water, Tetsuya?” Seijuro asked, standing to get it himself when Tetsuya nodded. He returned a moment later from a wet bar, and Tetsuya sipped slowly, cautiously, as he always had, both hands on the glass. Seijuro watched in silent vigil, once more taking a seat on the bed, and Taiga thought he looked like a hungry lion searching for the best opportunity to pounce. 

The emperor offered a tiny bow—the emperor! – to Tetsuya, and Taiga couldn’t compute. 

“Please excuse my subordinates’ rather unruly methods, but they are very loyal. I wanted to speak with you, and they moved Heaven and Earth – or at the very least, the Kiseki no Sedai Clan – to make it happen.”

Tetsuya’s voice was soft but fierce. “This is a mistake, Your Excellency. You’re going to be disappointed.”

Seijuro cocked his head to the side, considering. “How so? You are here, and we are speaking.”

Tetsuya’s eyes grew dark and tired. “I cannot give you what you want.”

“And you know what I want?”

“I believe you want us to be familiar enough with one another to be on a first name basis.”

Taiga almost choked for the sixth time that day. Tetsuya knew? All this time? But Tetsuya had said during the coronation that he hadn’t questioned Taiga’s role in his life. Then how could he possibly— 

“You know I am your brother.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I know you are my _twin_ ,” Tetsuya corrected as he reached out to cradle the emperor’s hands in his own, “and perhaps in another lifetime, we could have grown up together. But we have not. We did not, and you are searching for a past long lost.”

Seijuro squeezed the hands offered to him, like the lifeline they perhaps were. “But that doesn't mean you can't take your place at my side now, Tetsuya. You are a prince of Neo-Tokyo, and it is your right, your duty—”

Tetsuya’s smile was so precious, it hurt Taiga to see him give it freely to Seijuro. “You do not need me, Your Excellency. You’re treasured by our people and by those around you. You are the leader our people deserve, and I will not change that.”

“I am offering you a life you cannot imagine. I am offering you a life away from the shadows and the deviants of society,” he sneered with a quick, embittered glance at the Kiseki no Sedai Clan. 

“You are asking me to leave the only family I have ever own.”

“ _I_ am your family,” Seijuro snapped and motioned toward the pale warrior. “Chihiro is our uncle, and you belong with –”

“No, we may be joined by blood, but that is the end of our connection.” Tetsuya stood then, Nigou whining behind him, and began toward the Kiseki no Sedai. “Tai-san, Daiki-san, Satsuki-san, and Shin-san are my family, and I belong with them.” 

Taiga’s heart throbbed pleasantly in his chest. 

“How can you choose them over me?” Seijuro pierced, voice gutted in a muted scream. “ _They killed our parents._ ” 

That one statement tore Taiga’s still-beating heart from his chest. His entire life led up to this one moment when Tetsuya was presented with Taiga’s worst sin—or perhaps Taiga’s worst sin was believing he was allowed the privilege of Tetsuya’s innocent and splendid presence in his life. He loved the kid more than life itself, and he would die for Tetsuya—even if it was by Tetsuya’s own hand. 

Taiga prayed for Tetsuya to look at him, to show him exactly what he thought of this revelation, but Tetsuya just averted his eyes from Seijuro and whispered, “I know.”

 _What the fuck!_ All this time, Tetsuya knew that Taiga had murdered his parents? And yet he still chose to stay with Taiga instead of fleeing on the next possible hovercraft. 

Taiga sunk back on his heels as Tetsuya looked utterly crestfallen, petting Nigou’s head at his hip. 

“How, Tetsuya?” the emperor demanded. “Tell me how you can choose _them_ after what they did to us? To you?”

Unwavering conviction resounded in Tetsuya’s soft voice. “You are an emperor, Your Excellency. Not a king or a prime minister but an emperor, and your predecessors along with our entire bloodline are responsible for countless deaths and atrocities, all for the title you inherited.”

“And you believe Kagami Taiga is more honorable? He is an assassin!”

“Yes, and he spared me. And you.”

“That absolves him from the murders he has committed?” Seijuro glowered; a fine trembling overtook his hands, which were tight in his lap. “That absolves him from committing regicide?”

“Tai-san killed people you never knew who wanted full-out war with the Uncrowned Kings of the South, something you and your advisors prevented.”

“I do not see the relevance of—”

“I know, Tai-san,” Tetsuya said, a ghost of a smile fluttering across his lips. “I know he picked me up at school and made sure my homework was done, even if he didn’t understand what I did. He lets me drink three milkshakes a day—”

“That seems absurdly unhealthy,” Tatsuya remarked, shooting a chastising glare at Taiga. The assassin hardly noticed it as his cold heart hung on Tetsuya’s every word. 

“—and I know if there were any other way to stop the war, he would have done it.”

Seijuro scoffed and stood, tension gripping every muscle as he walked about the elegant bedding. “The Kiseki no Sedai are extremists, Tetsuya. They believe in their own sovereignty and nothing else.”

“Then how are you still alive, Your Excellency?”

Seijuro swung around, mouth opened with an uncertain gaze, before quickly turning serious, even accusatory. Tatsuya stepped forward then to calm the disturbed emperor, clasping his hands upon his charge’s shoulders. “We have spoken about this before, Your Excellency. While the clan is extreme in their methods, they believe in the good of Neo-Tokyo, for which you and they are in agreement.”

“And that justifies all they have done, Tatsuya?” Seijuro asked, clearly lost and broken, hands fisted at his sides. “They kept Tetsuya and me apart all these years, holding him hostage in case I did not do what they wished.”

That wasn’t true, Taiga wanted to yell. He kept Tetsuya alive because he loved his little brother, and the Kiseki no Sedai kept Tetsuya alive more of a back-up plan than a hostage, just in case Seijuro became his parents and needed to be put down. 

Taiga was going to be sick. 

“Perhaps,” Tetsuya relented, “but does the reason matter as long as we are alive? We live while our parents do not.”

“But you are truly not here, Tetsuya. Not yet,” and before Tatsuya could argue, Seijuro swiped his gun, grim determination in his eyes. Taiga held his breath, ready for the final blow that was to come when the Razukan Warriors parted, letting Seijuro stand at point-blank range. The barrel of his gun hovered less than a foot from Taiga’s forehead. 

“You stole my parents, but I won’t let you take Tetsuya again.” Madness reigned in his shimmering eyes, and when he spoke, his voice scraped his throat raw. “Return my brother, Kagami-san.”

Taiga guessed it was only karma that Seijuro—if not Tetsuya—killed him. Shintarou grunted through his gag; even Daiki let out a threatening shout. Satsuki screamed, and Taiga spared her one last glance. He hated seeing the demoralized tears sliding down her cheeks, but he hoped she knew just how much he loved her. 

And Taiga hoped his death alone would pacify Seijuro, so the emperor would spare the rest of his family. 

His eyes then sought Tetsuya’s—to apologize for putting him in such a precarious position, for taking him away from his only family, for not stopping him from drinking three milkshakes a day—when a flash of blue flew past his eyes. A force knocked him back, and a heavy weight settled upon his now prone body. Tetsuya placed himself between his two brothers, stopping Seijuro from pulling the trigger. 

“I won’t let you take Tai-san,” he vowed. 

“Move, Tetsuya!”

“No!”

Seijuro’s laser gun shook in his hand. “Tetsuya!”

“I am of the Kiseki no Sedai Clan,” Tetsuya murmured, slowly moving into a crouching position. “Killing Tai-san will not change that.”

“Then tell me how to save you,” Seijuro all but pleaded.

Reo placed his hand upon Seijuro’s shaking one. “Your Excellency, perhaps not everyone can be saved.”

“Perhaps I am not the one who needs saving,” Tetsuya rebuked. 

It had been wrong to keep Tetsuya and Seijuro apart, but Taiga had wanted to save Tetsuya’s life. Maybe now, in the light, he would be safe, revealed to all of Neo-Tokyo and so important to the emperor that the Kiseki no Sedai heads wouldn’t risk killing him. 

Perhaps Taiga couldn’t erase all the sins he committed, but today, he could right at least one of his many wrongs. 

Freeing himself, Taiga struggled against the pain in his shoulder to engulf Tetsuya in a comforting embrace. Tetsuya melted against his chest, and Taiga wanted to be selfish. He wanted more dinners with the family—Satsuki and Tetsuya, and even Daiki and Shintarou. He wanted to check Tetsuya’s homework and pretend to know if it was done correctly. He wanted to watch Tetsuya sleep and just make sure he was still breathing. 

Taiga wanted the three years left before Tetsuya went to university or underwent the clan trials. And he wanted to the be there to comfort Tetsuya after his “graduation.”

But he would always do what was right for Tetsuya. That was his job as a parent and big brother.

“Tetsuya, listen to me,” Taiga began, his voice pitched to soothe, despite his breaking heart. “The emperor’s right. You should be with—”

“No,” Tetsuya refuted, arms tightening about Taiga’s torso. 

“Kiddo, come on. Hear me out.”

“You’re going to say that I belong here, away from you and Daiki-san and Satsuki-san and Shin-san, and you’re wrong.”

 _God, don’t make this harder than it is, Tetsuya._ “But you’ve gotta understand that—that I did take you and maybe that wasn’t such a good thing. So why don’t you—”

“No. You said raising me was the best thing you ever did. You said we were family.” Though Tetsuya’s voice never lacked conviction, his eyes trembled when he pulled away to look into Taiga’s. “All that time, were you lying?”

 _Yes, but not about that._ “Of course not. You know I don’t regret raising you, but I deprived you of knowing your twin…” _and your parents._

“I still have three years until I’m adult, so finish your responsibility, Tai-san.”

“But Tetsuya—” _Don’t tell me that. I’ll take you up on it._

Tetsuya glanced over his shoulder at Seijuro, whose glistening eyes shook with the very severing of his soul. “Tai-san taught me that a family isn’t necessary bonded by blood, and you learned that from Himuro-san, after whom I was named.”

Seijuro shot an uncertain glance at Tatsuya before turning back to Tetsuya. “That doesn’t mean I can just forget you.”

“Though it would be in your best interest,” Tetsuya affirmed. “Today, I helped Momoi-san hack into the Uncrowned Kings’ database to make sure there were no impeding attacks upon you and Neo-Tokyo. Once I am old enough, I will rise in the ranks and eventually become one of the clan’s heads, as you have risen to the top of our empire.” 

“But what does it matter if I cannot save the ones I love?”

Tetsuya stood before Seijuro, the gun mere inches from his chest. “How do you know you love me? You’ve never even met me.”

Seijuro dropped his weapon, mouth agape, eyes trembling. He simply stood there, utterly devastated and demoralized. His vulnerable expression allowed Tetsuya to see the damage his frank words left, before the emotionless mask of an emperor once more overtook Seijuro’s young face. “I see now the fight is futile. Leave. I will not pursue you again.”

For one who ruled with a fair but demanding hand, Seijuro was not known to ever admit defeat. Perhaps Tetsuya, his other half, was the only one who could best Seijuro. 

Stunned silence reigned until finally Reo stepped forward. “You should leave.”

But Tetsuya, after all his bluster, refused. “Do you know why I want to be the head of the Kiseki no Sedai Clan?”

Seijuro, too, refused to turn, though his hand stilled upon his bed’s post. 

Tetsuya persisted, “So what happened to our parents won’t happen to you. I won’t let it.” 

Seijuro whirled, his hands and eyes trembling. 

“I love Tai-san and Daiki-san and Satsuki-san and Shin-san,” Tetsuya continued. “They’re my family, but…you are family, too. And I’ll protect my family at all costs.”

Taiga wasn’t sure who moved first, but Seijuro and Tetsuya tackled each other at the same time, collapsing to the floor in a mess of tangled limbs and endless tears. Taiga began to feel like he was in that old movie where the twins were separated by their parents’ divorce—one twin to each parent—and now that they were reunited, they wouldn’t be separated ever again. 

_To Be Continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter - more like an extended epilogue


	3. In the Shadows of the Emperor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for indulging me, peeps!

“Seijuro, turn that down!”

Taiga called from the kitchen, stirring the tofu soup. He liked meat himself, and thankfully, Tetsuya shared his love for cheeseburgers, even if he only ate one (preferring to save his appetite for his three, daily allotted milkshakes). But Seijuro ate tofu almost exclusively, meaning every time he came over to their apartment, Taiga spent half the day cooking tofu specialties for the young emperor. 

A six-month split was not possible with Neo-Tokyo needing an emperor and the Kiseki no Sedai watching Tetsuya’s every move. They needed to be discrete with the twins’ visits, so they settled on one weekend a month Tetsuya stayed at His Excellency’s palace, while another weekend the emperor forsook his duties to stay at Taiga’s apartment. 

According to Tatsuya—Taiga enjoyed being able to speak with his brother on a regular basis again—Seijuro lived for his weekends with Tetsuya, making notes during the week about what he wanted to tell his brother and requesting certain activities or foods. Taiga spent half of his monthly budget buying video games for Seijuro to play as the emperor almost never had the time to enjoy the simple technological pleasures of youth. 

Perhaps Taiga’s apartment was the only place Seijuro could be the sixteen-year-old kid he really was. 

Still, Taiga had neighbors, so he put on the pan’s lid, turned down the burner, and growled as he left the kitchen. 

“Seijuro!” He long stopped calling the boy by his title. “I told you to turn that—”

He entered Tetsuya’s room to see his young charge passed out on the futon. Seijuro lay stomach down next to him, playing a video game in the darkened room with Nigou snuggled between their bodies. Taiga debated about just letting Seijuro continue to play, but after pulling out his phone and taking a quick snapshot—the twins were adorable when cuddling like puppies—Taiga used the control panel by the door to shut off the TV. Seijuro slammed down the video game controller and whirled toward Taiga. 

“I was playing that, Kagami-san.”

“And it’s too loud and way past your bedtime.”

“It is only midnight. On a Saturday.”

“Yes, and my neighbors would like to enjoy their evening.”

Seijuro’s voice never rose from its controlled whisper as he slowly placed his feet on the ground. “I am the ruler of Neo-Tokyo and all its territories. There is seldom a night I am sleep before two A.M.”

“Then my brother’s parental skills are lacking, but here in my apartment—which I rule—kids are in bed and sleeping by eleven.”

Seijuro glanced away, calculating his next move, before glancing up at Taiga hesitantly. “One more game?”

Taiga wanted to tell Seijuro no, but the kid looked at him with such a vulnerable expression that Taiga couldn’t help but concede. “All right. Fine. But just one more game—and you have to be in bed by one. Got it?”

Seijuro perked up instantly—he looked so much like Tetsuya, it was insane—and smiled a gentle, appreciative grin. “Thank you, Kagami-san. I will adhere to your request.”

The TV switched on again, and Taiga remained in the doorway, watching as Seijuro re-situated next to Tetsuya and Nigou. The noise woke the once-slumbering Tetsuya. An unconscious smile overtook his sleepy face, and he pressed against Seijuro’s shoulder, much to Nigou’s displeasure. But the beast only whined for a few moments before he, too, nuzzled closer to the twins and fell asleep. 

Taiga felt a ping of guilt, watching as Seijuro drove about the track as Princess Peach, knowing why Seijuro currently refused sleep. It wasn’t easy being the coroneted ruler of more than 150 million people across one sovereign empire and countless territories, an impossible task for anyone, let alone a sixteen-year-old child. 

Perhaps he had Tatsuya and the Rakuzan Warriors as his advisors, but the young ruler ultimately made the decisions for the empire. And during a time of hardship, those decisions would be sleep-stealing. 

As Seijuro finished up his game, Taiga retreated to the kitchen to package the soup and place it in the refrigerator for the morning. Then he warmed up a cup of hot chocolate, set it on the living room coffee table, and fell to the left couch cushion to wait. He scrolled through his phone, checking his messages and texting Daiki back over his crude comments about his beloved Mai-chan. (The model retired more than a decade ago; Daiki needed to move on.) 

Taiga began to watch the latest installment of that vampire anime Tetsuya got him hooked on when Seijuro came shuffling out of the room, hair in a state of disarray much like Tetsuya’s bedhead. He wore a T-shirt a size too big—probably Tatsuya’s—and a pair of Adidas pants. 

He sat down on the very edge of the right cushion, back impeccably straight, fingers knotted upon his lap. Though he appeared serene, Taiga felt the young ruler’s ill-ease. He was nervous, upset, and Taiga ached in ways he previously hadn’t known he could. He’d caused this. He’d made Seijuro’s life so difficult, forcing the young ruler to reach adulthood prematurely, and Taiga wasn’t sure how to alleviate the emperor’s distress. 

But he could turn off his phone and sit up, lifting the cup with the hot chocolate and placing it in front of the young emperor. Seijuro didn’t move, didn’t even look at Taiga, only gazed blankly at something Taiga couldn’t see. 

So Taiga remained silent, too, and hoped his presence was a reassuring one. 

“I find this entire situation disturbing,” Seijuro commented, as if disgusted with himself. “I come for comfort from my parents’ killer.”

Taiga swallowed hard and nodded. “There would be something wrong with you if you weren’t disturbed.”

After seven months of sleepovers and tofu soups and _Owari no Seraph,_ Seijuro finally asked the question Taiga dreaded to hear, “Why did you do it?”

Even for the boy emperor, he sounded wary and so very, very tired. 

“Because I was told to,” which was the truth though not the lot of it. “And because I believed in the cause. Your parents ordered the invasion of sovereign nations, destroyed lives, killed countless innocents for the sake power.” Taiga gave the kid so much credit for simply staring ahead, unflinchingly, unblinking. “I wanted to stop it, so I did.”

“Why did you spare my brother and me?” Again, the serenity of the emperor baffled Taiga, though he heard the weary question he, too, feared to ask. “You could have killed us and rid Neo-Tokyo of all royalty. The Kiseki no Sedai—”

“—are a shadow organization,” Taiga corrected. “They are here to protect the people of Neo-Tokyo, not to rule. That always will be your prerogative, Your Excellency.”

“Unless I step out of line. Then would you end me as well? Tetsuya, too, if he went against you and the Kiseki no Sedai?”

The thought sickened Taiga, but he spoke the truth again, the conviction unwavering in his voice. “I would do anything to protect Tetsuya and destroy anyone who threatened his life…” The _even you_ went unsaid but was heard nonetheless. “And despite what you may believe, Your Excellency, you hold more power than you believe.”

“Tatsuya is Kiskei no Sedai,” Seijuro informed, and Taiga wondered if his brother told the young ruler or Seijuro deduced it. “And yet—I find myself uncaring in his connection to my past.”

Tatsuya changed Seijuro’s diapers, comforted his nightmares, and procured him all the tofu soup he could eat in this lifetime—as well as made all the difficult decisions in the kingdom until seven months ago, when Seijuro took the crown. 

So Taiga gave the young emperor reprieve, as best he could. 

“Tatsuya is no more or less Kiseki no Sedai than I am,” Taiga replied, elbows resting on his thighs, hands clasped loosely between them. “Our loyalties are elsewhere now, and it is for those we fight. That has nothing to do with clans or pasts. We care only for the present and those most important to us.”

Seijuro nodded, accepting that truth for the harsh reality it was, but Taiga couldn’t accept that himself. Not yet. There was much to be discussed but less to be resolved, and he stood with a deep sigh. The emperor’s crimson eyes snapped to him and followed Taiga’s every move as he stepped in front of the young ruler. In painstakingly slow movements, Taiga went down on one knee, then the other before directing his eyes to the floor and offering a reverent bow. 

Yes, he would do this for the emperor, though he might never have the courage to ask this of Tetsuya. 

The cold, tense silence that followed burned deep in Taiga’s chest as he surrendered, “For what it’s worth, Your Excellency, I am sorry for what I did to you and your family. I do not ask for forgiveness. I will not force you to give something you cannot. I just ask that you allow me the privilege of safeguarding your brother.” 

Taiga wasn’t sure how long he stayed upon the floor. His knees numbed. His arms shook, but it was nothing compared to the rigorous training he received at the ruthless whims of the clan heads. 

Eventually, Seijuro laid a gentle hand upon Taiga’s shoulder and wordlessly commanded him to stand. Silent tears stained tracks down Seijuro’s cheeks, but that was the only indication of his inner struggles. 

“You saved Tetsuya, Kagami-san,” Seijuro admitted, though he glanced away and focused on the lights of Neo-Tokyo just outside the living room. “For that alone, I will forever be grateful.”

Taiga accepted that truth with a curt nod—perhaps, that was all he could allow himself—and once more offered Seijuro the hot chocolate. This time, the emperor took it, sipping sparingly. Taiga reclaimed his place on the couch, and Seijuro uncoiled from the tight rein he held upon his chaotic emotions. 

“The Southern Islands invaded one of our territories,” Seijuro revealed in a strained whisper. “I will have to deploy our security forces to stop it.” Another sip. A softer confession. “I will be ordering the deaths of hundreds of people.”

“But they have harmed _your_ people,” Taiga offered. 

“It does not mean I will not mourn them. They are still people, Tai-san.”

At that one moment, more than ever, Taiga knew he’d made the right decision all those years ago, and it pained him to think so. 

Seijuro took a sip of the hot chocolate, then another and another. He inched closer to Taiga until he burrowed against Taiga’s side, secure and asleep against the assassin’s chest. This close, Taiga could see the uncanny resemblance between the two twins, Seijuro a mirror image of his brother, and Taiga resolved then to always protect this boy as well. 

“You put something in his hot chocolate,” Tetsuya accused, soft voice sounding just over Taiga’s head. 

Taiga nodded. “Yes. He is the right ruler for Neo-Tokyo, but he’s too young. He’s not ready for the burden yet.”

“Then we are in agreement.”

No, they weren’t. As Taiga glanced over his shoulder, he wasn’t surprised to see Tetsuya dressed all in black with gloves protecting his hands and a dark guard covering his nose and mouth. A knife rested on his left shoulder, perfect for easy access, while two guns were strategically placed—one on Tetsuya’s thigh and another tucked against his lower back. Other weapons clung to his person as well. 

It pained Taiga to see his young charge wearing the wardrobe of a Kiseki no Sedai assassin, though perhaps he had trained Tetsuya all this time to enter the family business. By joining the clan and listening to the will of the emperor—the rightful emperor, who wanted what was best for his people—Tetsuya would one day achieve his goal of making the Kiseki no Sedai the strong, protective arm of the nation—and delivering the loudest “fuck you” to its heads. 

Taiga cared very little about all that. He only cared for the kind-hearted child who used to cling to his pant leg when meeting someone new or would only go to bed after drinking warm vanilla. Now Tetsuya wanted to become a ruthless assassin, able and willing to protect those he loved. 

Taiga could relate, and this way, Tetsuya’s first kill would be to protect his brother and his people, not a worthless order by the clan hands. 

Sighing, Taiga placed Seijuro on the couch and called Daiki, Satsuki, and his brother. Then, exiting his room, dressed in similar garb to his young charge’s, Taiga pinned Tetsuya with a brutal glare. “There’s no going back from this. Once you do this, you’ll lose a piece of your soul, and you’ll continue to lose pieces until you fear there is nothing left. And then—”

“—I’ll find a baby in a crib who will grab my finger, and I’ll realize that’s all a lie? That I actually have a soul, and everything I’ve done is for the purpose of a better tomorrow for him and his people?” 

Taiga saw the smile beaming in Tetsuya’s eyes and would cherish it for as long as allowed. “Daiki’s right. You’re such a little shit.” 

He ruffled the kid’s hair and drew Tetsuya against him as they headed toward the exit. Tomorrow, he might regret this decision. Tomorrow, he might wish he’d stopped Tetsuya. Tomorrow, he might wish he’d never picked up at adorable child from the crib, but today, Taiga could admit Tetsuya had wrapped him around his pinkie almost seventeen years ago. And he’d do anything for him, even follow him to the depths of Hell. 

*^*^*

_Ten Years Later…_

“This is absurd,” Chihiro remarked, waiting by the opening of the prince’s chambers. “No emperor has addressed his people in such a fashion in more than two hundred years.”

Dressed in his most formal attire—minus the crown—Seijuro accepted Tatsuya’s deft touches—straightening his tie and royal sash – without blinking. “But this is a momentous occasion, Uncle. The people deserve to hear the news personally from me.”

“Yes, on their viewer screens and handheld terminals, not on the steps before the palace. It’s a security risk.”

“Your uncle may have a point,” Tatsuya interjected, taking a step back to scrutinize his work.

Chihiro choked. “ _May?_ ” 

“You will be addressing a controversial subject, Your Excellency. You may want to take – ”

“How is freeing more than a fifty million people controversial?” Seijuro asked, a blatant challenge in his tone. “My family stole the lands, taxed their people and all but forced them to work for the betterment of our nation. That is not controversial. It’s madness, and I will not have it in my empire.”

“Then you’ll no longer have an empire,” Chihiro disputed. “You’ll have a kingdom.”

“Then I shall be a king,” Seijuro replied, frowning as Tatsuya pulled a hair off his coat and brushed his shoulders. “I am fine, Tatsuya.”

Tatsuya reached for the emperor’s tie. “Just one more—”

“I said I am fine.”

Atsushi yawned as he entered the room, dressed in his black suit with his earpiece hanging over his shoulder. “Aka-chin, your tie is crooked.”

Seijuro rolled his eyes but motioned for Tatsuya to fix it, which he did with a smug smirk. Once he finished, Seijuro glared at him with a mock angered expression. “Am I ready, Tatsuya? Perhaps you’d like to check to see if my underwear is sufficiently tight.”

“No need, Your Excellency. I was here when you put it on.”

“Fine, then.” Seijuro let out a tiny, defeated sigh before motioning toward the door. “Shall we make history?”

Chihiro chimed up, “Seijuro, you are making a mistake. Your parents would not have—”

But Seijuro had already abandoned the room, shouting at Tatsuya that his hair was, in fact, perfectly placed. As soon as the door shut, Chihiro, too, sighed, before taking a phone and hitting the call button. The person picked up after only two rings, and a gruff voice sounded through the earpiece, _“Are we go?”_

A cold barrel pressed against the back of Chihiro’s neck, and an even colder voice sounded from behind him. “Tell them you’ve changed your mind, and you support the emperor’s new agenda.”

_“Your Highness, are we go?”_

“Tell them, _Uncle,_ or I’ll have my people stop them.”

Chihiro’s shoulders visibly shook as he muttered, “No. Stand down. I will meet with you shortly to discuss other options.”

A hand took the phone then, and Chihiro turned to see Tetsuya, dressed in his black uniform, drowning in the shadows of Seijuro’s personal chambers. The younger man held a gun pointed directly at Chihiro while he hit off the phone. 

“You are the bane of my existence,” Chihiro snarled. 

Tetsuya smiled that hateful little grin. “Hm. I am honored, Uncle. I thought it was Seijuro.”

“Why is it always the uncles in this story?” a new voice grumbled, and Chihiro pivoted to see Daiki leaning against the bedpost, sighing as he glanced about the rather empty room. “And why is there never food out in these places?”

“You sound like my brother-in-law,” Taiga replied, materializing behind Chihiro. 

“I am your brother-in-law.”

“Not you—the other—oh, just shut up!”

Tetsuya leaned forward with a conspiratorial whisper, “It is so hard to find good help these days.”

“Oi!”

“Hey!”

Chihiro muttered with a bored expression, “What is it you want, Tetsuya?”

“To kill you,” the younger man said without any remorse, “but my brother cherishes you. So I wish to intimidate you instead.” He stepped forward, invading the older man’s personal space while Taiga came up behind and Daiki stood to the side. “I am the leader of the Kiseki no Sedai Clan, which is now the strong arm of the emperor’s will. We will do anything to protect our master, and we are everywhere. You cannot escape us.”

“You don’t frighten me,” Chihiro replied, his face serene but callous. “I’ll always do what I think is best for Neo-Tokyo.”

Tetsuya smiled, genuine and true, and it was the perfect mirror to Seijuro’s challenging grin. 

“So will I.” 

**The End**

_Omake:_

As soon as Chihiro collapsed, Tetsuya glanced down at his gun. “I didn’t shoot him.”

Taiga cocked his head to side as he gazed down at the supine prince. “He fainted?”

Daiki sniffed. “Hey, you guys smell anything?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cuz poop jokes never get old.


End file.
